British Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII.
“The unlucky son of great parents,” this is what they said about Edward VII, the son of the British Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. At a young age, the young man refused to study diligently and led a wild life. Most of all, he loved bathing with girls of easy virtue in a bath with champagne at the Le Chabane brothel. There was also a special chair that allowed Edward VII to make love with two women at once. However, after ascending the throne, the nation managed to fall in love with the “unlucky king.”
Edward VII is the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
The prince hated studying. The exact sciences and humanities were a kind of blur for him. His father prepared Bertie (the prince's name was Albert, he took the name Edward after ascending the throne) for the crown. From this, classes continued until late in the evening.
Upon reaching the age of 17, Bertie was sent to Oxford. The prince's isolation is over. He longed to make acquaintances with peers, from which he had previously been protected. Together with his friends, Bertie learned about horse racing, gambling and cigars. After training, Bertie was sent to Ireland to learn the art of war. After some time, a girl was found in the prince's room. The father was shocked by his son's behavior and sent him an angry letter in which he called Bertie depraved and weak.
Among Edward's family they called him Bertie, because his name at birth was Albert.
When Prince Albert died suddenly, Queen Victoria blamed her son for his death, saying that Bertie led him to the coffin with his behavior. After this, the son and mother kept their distance in communication. Moreover, the queen did not want to give the throne to the heir, believing that he was not ready for this role.
Wedding photo of Edward and Alexandra
Victoria chose a good match for the prince in the person of the Danish Princess Alexandra. The Queen believed that marriage should have a beneficial effect on the dissolute prince. Edward VII was lucky; his wife had a light and cheerful disposition. They enjoyed the delights together social life London.
Edward VII's love chair and copper bathtub at Le Chabanais brothel
Over time, the prince grew tired of married life and returned to his favorite pastime in the Parisian brothel “Le Chabanais”. Edward VII had his own room there. There was a special chair where Bertie could satisfy two women at once. A personal copper bathtub with a bust of a half-swan, half-woman was filled with champagne for royal pleasures. By the way, this bathtub was purchased by Salvador Dali in 1946 after the closure of the brothel.
The prince's wild life was accompanied by periodic scandals involving married women. In 1890, a British newspaper wrote that “the nation is deeply shocked” by the unacceptable behavior of a member of the royal family. However, this did not stop Edward VII at all.
King Edward VII. Coronation
The prince ascended the throne at the age of 59. At first, fellow citizens did not know how to react to the riotous king, but Edward VII showed excellent diplomatic talents. He had tried to engage in government affairs before, but the Queen Mother did not allow him to do so. The king managed to improve relations with France, which had long been considered an enemy of England.
Edward VII died at 68. Before his death, he begged his wife to send for his last 29-year-old mistress Alice Keppel. The wife generously fulfilled the king's request.
Well, in Parisian brothels they sincerely lamented the death of their beloved client.
The future King Edward VII was born on November 9, 1841. He was the son of the British ruler Victoria and her husband Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Before the coronation, the heir bore the double name Albert Edward (the first was given to him at baptism). This monarch became the first in the Windsor dynasty. He spent more time as heir to the throne than any of his predecessors (59 years). Edward's record was broken in 2011 by today's Prince of Wales, Charles.
Naughty child
Edward VII, whose reign spanned 1901 - 1910, remained heir to the throne for a record long time (his mother Victoria died in old age). Because of this, Windsor spent his entire youth as Prince of Wales. Since childhood, he has retained an uncontrollable character. The teachers could hardly get along with Bertie (that's what his relatives called him).
At the age of 17, the heir began studying at Oxford. At the university, a previously unfamiliar world of horse racing, gambling, alcohol and cigars opened up to the young man. The temptations of youth were not conducive to discipline. To accustom his son to order, his father sent him to serve in the army in Ireland. However, this did not change the future of Edward VII.
Conflict with mother
Personal life
Although Edward's marriage to Alexandra was actually forced on the heir by Victoria, family life the young couple who got married in 1863 was simply wonderful at first. Their relationship cooled a few years after the birth of their third child.
Edward began to spend more and more time away from home. Brothels became his favorite places of leisure. The Prince of Wales especially appreciated the brothels of Paris, where he left his homeland at the first opportunity. The heir to the British throne made many dubious friends and women of easy virtue.
One day, Edward got into a disgusting scandal because he entered into a relationship with a married woman, which her husband, an influential baron, found out about. The trial took place. The girl was sent for compulsory treatment to a psychiatric hospital. The prince was present at the trial as a witness, but all the English newspapers were happy to chew on this unpleasant story for the royal court. Edward, however, continued to lead a frivolous lifestyle in subsequent years. He had affairs with several actresses.
Edwardian era
The period when Edward VII was in power (1901 - 1910) is remembered in British history as the Edwardian era. The monarch ascended the throne at the age of 59. For subsequent generations of British people, that time began to evoke good-natured nostalgic emotions. The Edwardian era was and is considered carefree, peaceful and calm. In the background Great War(that's what the British call the First world war) it really did seem like an idyllic time.
Edward VII himself was the best personification of his time. Life-loving and a good judge of entertainment, he was the complete opposite of his strict mother Victoria. In his youth, having repeatedly shocked the public with his antics, the king has now brought back to life the brilliant ceremony of power (for example, the annual magnificent opening ceremony of the British Parliament was revived).
Progress period
For people who belonged to high society or had significant means, Edward II was the living embodiment of a comfortable life. At the beginning of the 20th century, wealthy Englishmen became familiar with new technical and scientific achievements. Under Edward, automobiles became widespread, and long-distance travel by train and ferry became popular. Talented artists and writers created. Art Nouveau, that is, modernism, arose in art.
But despite the external splendor, the British King Edward VII also had numerous worries. A large-scale struggle between various social groups and classes unfolded in the country. Opposing political factions tried to lead the monarchy in the right direction, in their opinion. Socialism was gaining popularity among working-class Britons.
Rapprochement with France
In foreign policy, Edward VII, whose reign occurred on the eve of the First World War, followed a course of rapprochement with Russia and France. It was he who stood at the origins of the Entente. During the First World War, this alliance would oppose Germany, Austria and Turkey. In fact, the creation of blocs by the great powers became one of the most important prerequisites for the start of bloodshed. Nevertheless, Edward remained in the memory of his compatriots as a peacemaker monarch.
The British monarch signed an alliance agreement with France in 1904 (it also went down in history under the name “Agreement of the Heart”). Thanks to this agreement, Edward stopped the long-term colonial conflict between the two countries in Africa. The borders of the powers on this continent were agreed upon and were no longer subject to dispute. England and France also issued a joint declaration on the disputed Morocco and Egypt. In Paris, they abandoned Newfoundland, for which they received part of the border lands in Africa. By signing the Treaty of the Heart, King Edward VII scored a major diplomatic victory.
Relations with Russia
In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began, after which Russia sent Far East a squadron that was supposed to sail across the Atlantic and around Africa. While in the North Sea, the ships mistakenly shot at several civilian ships carrying British fishermen. Two people died. Soon Edward VII learned about what had happened.
The King of England did everything to smooth out the conflict. An arbitration court was created to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy. Russia paid compensation to the injured fishermen and their families. However, relations between the two powers were for some time in their worst state since the Crimean War.
The emergence of the Entente
Due to the incident with the squadron, Edward had to cancel his planned visit to Russia. When the conflict was smoothed over, the organization of the trip resumed. Finally, in 1908, Edward VII, whose biography was directly related to Nicholas II, visited Russia. The visit of the British monarch was the first such visit in the history of relations between the two countries.
Edward was the uncle of Nicholas II, as well as the uncle of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, which is why he was nicknamed "Uncle of Europe". The family ties that bound the monarchs of the Old World left an additional imprint on their connections. Edward, despite personal relationships, had to choose for the sake of state interests which of his nephews to enter into an alliance with.
In 1907 (even before the monarch’s visit) an Anglo-Russian agreement was signed, which in its meaning was similar to the previous agreement with France. The treaty ended the “Great Game” in Afghanistan and neighboring countries. Great Britain and Russia have finally delimited their spheres of influence in Central Asia. Edward and Nicholas recognized Chinese rule over Tibet and renounced their own interests in the region.
After the signing of the Anglo-Russian agreement, the Triple Entente was finally formed. Edward abandoned the policy of “brilliant isolation” that characterized his mother’s era. The king took this step because of the threat to German hegemony and Germany's growing colonial ambitions.
Financial problems
Four years after Edward VII became king, the Unionists and Conservatives, which had been in power for almost twenty years, lost the election to the Liberal-Labour alliance. The new Parliament and monarch needed to resolve several complex internal problems that had simmered during the Victorian era. The greatest concern of society was the financial burden that fell on the shoulders of taxpayers due to huge expenditures on the army, police, officials and courts.
The Anglo-Boer War, which the king inherited from his mother, ended in 1902, but it managed to generate a significant public debt. Although the scepter of Edward VII was a symbol of power for the largest empire of its time, the monarch could not immediately solve the fiscal problems of the state. It was under Victoria's successor that a faction appeared in parliament demanding a strict policy of protectionism.
Constitutional crisis
Under Edward VII, Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George became popular politicians. They advocated increasing wages for workers in areas where previously wages was the lowest. Their measures supported the actions of municipal authorities and charities. As a result of this policy, mortality decreased and the standard of living of ordinary UK residents began to increase.
However, the innovations that Edward also supported were extremely expensive for the treasury, which aggravated pre-existing financial problems. The military also demanded money, frightening society and politicians with the growing German threat. As a result, the 1909 budget proposed by Lloyd George was based on the idea of shifting the tax burden onto the wealthy part of the country's inhabitants - it was planned to introduce new taxes on land, excess profits and inheritance.
The ideas of the liberals were opposed by the leader of the opposition, Arthur Balfour. He rejected the budget through the House of Lords. As a result of the conflict between politicians, the end of Edward's reign was marked by a constitutional crisis. By tradition, the House of Lords has never interfered in the financial decisions of the state. The split in parliament was smoothed out after the death of the king. In 1911, an act was passed that limited the power of the unelected House of Lords.
Death and legacy
Since his youth, Edward had the habit of smoking more than ten cigarettes and cigars a day. Towards the end of his life, the king suffered from bronchitis. In 1909, during an official visit to Berlin, he suffered a brief loss of consciousness. IN last days The king's illnesses intensified. The monarch died on May 6, 1910 at Buckingham Palace. He was 68 years old.
When the throne of Edward VII was empty, royal powers passed to his son George V. A few days later the funeral took place. The burial of the deceased took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Almond-shaped Edward VII tokens and coins were issued in memory of the king.
George was the second son of the British king. The eldest of Edward's six children, Albert Victor, died in 1892 before his turn to take the throne. Nevertheless, George became a worthy heir to his father. Contemporaries noted that their relationship was more like a brotherly one. Today, historians consider Edward VII to be Britain's first truly constitutional monarch and its last king to wield real political power.
This is what a certain old man said.
Since time immemorial, the Crown of the Six Kingdoms has shone over the world.
Learned sages and great magicians, brave knights and beautiful ladies were looking for ways to the Six Kingdoms.
On the tops of the mountains they tried to find the shining Six-Toothed Crown, and they sank into the depths of the seas after it, and in the darkness of underground caves they waited for its fire, and among the twinkling stars they caught the flashes of the Great Crown, but the efforts of the seekers were in vain.
For the world of the living was not touched by the Crown of the Six Kingdoms, and in world of the dead did not know its light.
Between always from the beginning of time she raised her dazzling teeth - between light and shadow, between life and death, between was and will be, between is and maybe.
And those who did not find it were jealous of those who became legends - those who touched the Six-Toothed Fire, feeling its breath in themselves for an elusive fraction of a moment.
It scorched some, and they parted with their lives, giving it up without regret for a fraction of a moment of fire and freedom.
Others survived, but lost their minds forever, because the power of the Great Crown is a thousand times higher than anything that the human mind can carry.
Its radiance attracts mortals, like the flame of a candle attracts moths; and they fly into the fire and break their scorched wings, happy at the moment of their triumph in merging with the unattainable, and their brothers in the night outside the window are exhausted from the power of the all-powerful Call and from the impossibility of burning next to them.
But there are those who look out of the darkness and wait...
So Zublorn read in the old books, and so he said at the ancient gravestone, performing the rite of Dedication to the Call.
And he heard the laughter of the Owl, and was embarrassed, and asked the things of the bird:
“What are you laughing at, tell me?”
And the Owl said:
“Behold, you seek wisdom and collect Words in the hope of eventually gathering enough to avoid becoming food for the Six-Toothed Fire, to wear the Great Crown and rule the Six Kingdoms.
But your work has neither meaning nor meaning, because this burden is beyond the strength of a mere mortal.
One after another, the Kings came to those times that were forgotten during the young sun of this world, when the earth breathed under the fiery wind.
One after another the Kings came, and each created his own Kingdom, adding a new prong to the Great Crown to fulfill what was written.
The sun became old, and the fiery wind went out, and the earth fell asleep since the Sixth King was born, and rose up, and closed the Inscribed Circle.
The Nine Houses of Fate surround it, and the Ten Houses of the Road lead to the Great Circle; Nine Houses of Fates close with them, but only one of the Ten Houses allows the one born in it to pass into the Inscribed Circle, avoiding mortal fate, and this House is not the House of Man, but the House of Kings..."
And Zublorn said:
“So be it, O Owl, for you know the ways of the Lords, and it is not for me, a mortal, to reject their commands. But why did you call our work senseless, if I know that words have power even over the Immortals?”
And the Owl said:
“Everyone is subject to Words, but not those that come from mortal lips, O Zublorn. Those are the Words that the Immortal Maiwe sings, the Words that are inscribed on the teeth of the Great Crown; mortal Words can open the way, but they cannot lead non-mortals to the destined path ; and they can unlock the lock, but they cannot curb the Power that breaks into open door; and only those Words that sounded before the Beginning are omnipotent and strict; This is not human speech, and they cannot be uttered by a mortal, for the human essence is destroyed by that which was not created for man even before the creation of the human race..."
And Zublorn said:
“Look around, O Owl, and tell me if there is anything in this world that would have been created without a higher purpose, albeit unknown to mortals.
The most insignificant stone by the road, the weakest blade of grass exists for something; So was the great Crown really forged without a purpose, and the Six-Toothed Fire kindled without a secret intent?
So who is waiting for the Crown of the Six Kingdoms if there is no way for mortals to get to it, and the Immortals do not strive to take it into their hands in order to read the sacred Writings?
And the Owl said:
“Everything has its own meaning, but not everyone knows how to ask a question, and not everyone is able to hear the answer. You asked a question, O Zublorn, so listen to the answer, for much was said between us this night, and I don’t see why to remain silent about why I was sent to the Initiated Call by the Lords of the Nine Houses of Fate.
Know, O Zublorn, that a King has been born and will rise, and he will enter the Six Kingdoms, and will be crowned with the Six-Toothed Fire, for the Nine Houses of Fates are subject to him by birth, and he is free from mortal fate, for he comes from the Tenth House of the Road, which is The First and the Last, from the House of Kings.
The Great Crown was assigned to him through the labors of the Six Kings, and he will be called the Seventh King, and will create the Seventh Kingdom, where alone its light can shine, for any of the Six Kingdoms, and even all of them together, are not sufficient to accommodate the Six-Toothed Crown.
Then the Call will be extinguished for the world, for there will no longer be the Crown of the Six Kingdoms between, but will be embodied in the Seventh Kingdom, on the forehead of the Last King..."
And Zublorn said:
“When will this be fulfilled, O Owl? Tell me, for the Lords of the Nine Houses of Fate have spoken terrible things with your tongue, and I cannot believe what I have heard, for the very earth is leaving from under my feet when I think about what I have heard.”
And the Owl said:
“The day will not be born until the teeth of the Great Crown go out for this world. Look, O Zublorn, and you will see and weep for the fate of your family, for this is how Love, and Dream, and Hope, and Faith, and Light, and Sorrow leave the world ..."
And Zublorn looked and saw, and his heart was filled with fear, for the King had risen from the darkness of the night, and the Crown of the Six-Toothed Flame shone over him.
The Six Kingdoms opened up to the King, and he entered them, and their strongholds fell; and he created the Seventh Kingdom, his own, and called himself the Seventh King, uttering Words that were before the Beginning, understandable to the human spirit, but inaccessible to human speech; and Zublorn saw how the Gates opened, and the Six-Toothed Fire burned unbearably there, eclipsing the light of the young sun of the Seventh Kingdom, drowning out the light of the old world; and the rainbow waterfalls of Dreams sparkled there, falling along the unshakable cliffs of Faith into the ever-waving ocean of great Love, and Hope made its way through the stone with timid crystal flowers, and Sadness bathed the weeping branches in rainbow streams...
And Zublorn believed the Owl, for the legends were silent about how it would happen to a mortal to comprehend all the secrets of the Six Kingdoms, and the Nine Houses of Fate, and the Ten Houses of the Road, and not lose either life or reason along the way.
And the old sun rose, but there was no longer the Light of Life in it, and the earth lay dead. And the Gates closed, and Zublorn saw the world dying, in which there was no longer a Call.
And tears moistened his eyes, but these tears were empty, for there was no Sadness in them, and his heart sank, but did not find Love within itself.
And Zublorn turned to his soul, and did not find a Dream in it, and to his thoughts, but there was no Faith in them.
And the eternal night fell, and Zublorn died, the last of the mortals who survived his race, for he saw the Coming of the Last King, and there was no meaning in his death, for there was no Hope in it....
Mechanical magic
In honor of the noble guests, the seven underground lords gave a magnificent feast. A ballet was shown at the feast: the boys and girls from the Lana Pirota Dance Academy showed miracles of art and earned everyone's approval. By the way, the young artists were sent home the next day; staying in the Cave could undermine their fragile health. The Munchkins also left with them, bringing gifts to the underground inhabitants. The little people spent only one day in the Cave, but the fear of its dark and majestic wonders remained in their souls for the rest of their lives.
Both the hosts and guests slept for a very long time after the feast, of course, with the exception of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow: they never slept.
Only Lestar got up early and got to work. Even the day before, he met the Time Keeper Ruggiero and talked with him for a long time.
Lestar and Ruggiero liked each other, and an immediate friendship arose between them. The morning after the feast, Lestar found Ruggiero and asked him to take him to the Sacred Cave. Two new friends walked and talked, and behind them the blockheads, under the supervision of the craftsmen, dragged pipes, levers and blocks.
From the conversation, Lestar realized that the Keeper of Time does not really believe that Sleeping Water can be returned by witchcraft. The master saw how Ruggiero looked slyly at all the complex mechanics that the wooden people were carrying, and, grinning, said:
- Yes, of course, it’s the case with such devices will go better, and the underground spirit will probably retreat. Otherwise, poor Ellie only had spells. What are spells? Words.
“Venerable Ruggiero, I see you are a perceptive man,” said Lestar. “But I think you shouldn’t inspire such thoughts in the seven kings.”
“I think so myself, honorable Lestar,” agreed the Keeper of Time. “After all, not everything that is said between friends is suitable for the ears of their majesties.”
The old men, satisfied with each other, continued on their way.
In the Sacred Cave, Lestar began serious research. Having ordered the blockheads to remain silent, he put his ear to the ground in different places trying to hear the noise groundwater. He held a mirror over the cracks in the rock to catch traces of vapors on it.
His work continued for a long time, and at this time Ruggiero sat on a stone and rested from the long journey. Then Lestar approached him.
- How are you, dear friend? – Ruggiero asked.
“There is hope, but the witchcraft will be long and difficult,” the master answered carefully.
To begin with, the blockheads, under the leadership of Lestar and other Miguns, leveled the area near the pool and installed the base for the drilling apparatus. In their strong hands the work was in full swing, they moved huge stones without effort.
“Oorfene Deuce left you a good legacy,” Ruggiero said, laughing.
“Yes, there’s no need to complain,” Lestar agreed. “But notice that they became obedient workers only after new faces were cut out for them.” And this was done according to the Scarecrow's plan.
The company returned to the city only in the evening. And there a new feast was already being started. It was the Scarecrow, according to the rules of diplomatic etiquette, who prepared a return treat for the kings from the products that his people brought with them.
Several days passed. A constant communication has been established between the City of the Seven Lords and the Sacred Cave. Blockheads, Wingers and underground metal workers were constantly scurrying here and there, carrying parts of machines and necessary materials. But kings, courtiers and spies were prohibited from entering the Sacred Cave. At Lestar's insistence, Ellie told the seven kings that a terrible spirit called the Great Mechanic lived there, and this spirit could only be defeated by mechanical magic. And with mechanical magic, it is extremely dangerous for outsiders to be present; it can affect the mind.
But Ellie’s presence during the preparation of mechanical magic was declared mandatory, and she spent whole days there. The sacred cave could not be desecrated by ordinary everyday needs - food and sleep, and therefore a camp for workers was set up in one of the neighboring caves. They brought beds there and set up a fireplace for cooking.
But for Ellie, as a fairy, an exception was made. The blockheads built a light, cozy house for her in the Sacred Cave, which had everything she needed: a bed, a dining table, a wardrobe for dresses (the Scarecrow brought her a whole dozen!) and everything else. There Ellie, tired of the noise of work, spent hours of rest with Toto.
And the work was in full swing. The drills buzzed, gnawing into the dense rock. Miguna's craftsmen screwed together pipes for pumps and fitted valves. Curious Fred was everywhere: either he was conveying some order to Lestar, or he was carrying the necessary part to the mechanic, or he was looking closely at the work of the drillers. The boy was at the height of bliss: could he have previously thought that he would experience such extraordinary adventures?..
But the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion did not appear in the labyrinth: the damp climate of the Cave turned out to be harmful to them.
After several days in the dungeon, the Scarecrow felt very ill. He moved with difficulty, because the straw was heavy from the dampness, and there was nowhere to dry. In the Cave they cooked on small stoves, from where the fire could not get out and disturb the weak eyes of the underground inhabitants. The stoves did not warm the surrounding air at all.
The situation was even worse with the Scarecrow's amazing brain. The bran with which his head was stuffed had also become damp, and the needles and pins mixed in with it had rusted. This caused the Scarecrow to suffer from headaches, and he began to forget the simplest words.
And even the features of the Scarecrow’s face began to change, because the watercolor paints with which it was painted were dissolved and leaking. 
Concerned, Faramant called a doctor to the ruler. Boril came, a descendant of the same Boril under whom the first euthanasia took place. Round and smug, like his great-great-grandfather, the doctor examined the noble patient.
“Hm, hm, bad,” he muttered. – Your Excellency is beginning to have a very dangerous disease- dropsy. Best treatment– solar warmth and light.
“I can’t dishonor... that is, leave Ellie here,” the Scarecrow said dully.
“Then...” the doctor thought. “Then a foundry could serve as a hospital for Your Excellency.” I believe that in its warm dry air you will recover.
The Scarecrow was taken to the workshop and placed in a secluded corner, where he did not bother anyone and where the workers did not bother him. Faramant, who was with the ruler as a nurse, made sure that not a single spark from the furnace could fall on the Scarecrow. If this had happened, the patient would have died instead of being cured.
In the dry and hot air of the factory, thick steam rose from the Scarecrow for the first days, and then his health began to improve surprisingly quickly. His arms and legs filled with strength, and clarity appeared in his brain.
It was bad for the Woodcutter too. Dampness penetrated his iron joints and they began to rust. And this rust of the Cave was somehow especially corrosive; even heavy-duty lubrication could not save it. Soon the Woodcutter's golden oiler was empty, and all his limbs creaked as he moved. The jaws did not move, the poor fellow tried in vain to open his mouth: he was numb. The woodcutter became disabled.
Dean Gior invited Dr. Robil to see him. The doctor said:
– So that his Excellency (or perhaps it should be said: his former Excellency?) does not fall apart in the very next few days, he must be placed in a barrel of oil. This is his only salvation.
Fortunately, the last transport contained enough provisions vegetable oil, and the Tin Woodman was immersed there so that only a funnel was visible above the surface, replacing his hat.
And so that the Woodcutter would not get bored, the Longbeard Soldier sat on a chair next to him and told him different stories. entertaining stories from his past, when he was still serving as Goodwin's gatekeeper.
For a walk, the Woodcutter sometimes climbed out of the barrel for an hour or two and went to visit the Scarecrow or the Lion. The mighty Lion, the free son of the forests, also had a bad time in the Cave: the king of beasts fell ill with bronchitis. Boril prescribed him powders, and soon the entire pharmacy was empty: it’s easy to imagine what doses of medicine Lev requires! And when Lev had eaten all the powders, he began to eat the pieces of paper in which they were wrapped.
So, not all was well with Ellie’s friends, and this forced Lestar to rush as hard as he could to prepare the mechanical magic.
What can diamonds be useful for?
Not only the rulers of the Magic Land and the king of beasts had a bad time in the Cave. Those who came with them also experienced difficult days. The eternal darkness of the dungeon, autumn colors nature, the humid atmosphere had a depressing effect on people. They were overcome by longing for their homeland, for the blue sky and sparkling sun, for the cheerful singing of birds on the branches of trees, for the rustle of the wind in the groves.
And even the blockheads, these strong and resilient wooden creatures, felt that their arms and legs, swollen from dampness, no longer obeyed them as well as before.
Lestar accelerated his work. IN short hours While the chief master was resting, he was replaced by assistants, and as before, the drills squealed, the blocks creaked, and the hammers pounded. The wonderful water, apparently, went much deeper than expected chief master, but finally her presence was felt in the bowels of the earth. Blunt drills, which needed to be replaced with new ones, emerged from the depths wet. Lestar strictly ordered the people not to touch this water, but one day, when they returned to the Sacred Cave after lunch break, they saw about a dozen mice near the recently removed drill. The mice lay with their paws up and slept in a magical sleep! They licked droplets of Sleeping Water from the drill.
The mice slept for several hours, and precautions during work were doubled.
And then the happy moment came when wonderful water poured into the pre-prepared pool in a powerful stream. Lestar and his assistants, Ellie, Fred Canning, gathered around and watched with respectful curiosity for a long time as the Sleeping Water poured, bubbling and sparkling with a bluish light and releasing hissing bubbles.
Then everyone went about their business. Ellie sat near the house and played with one of the diamonds. The girl really liked these pebbles, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, which she and Fred got from one of the grottoes. She admired the shine of the diamond, then brought it closer to her eyes, then moved it away, tossed it in her palm... Carried away by this simple activity, Ellie did not notice what was happening in the cave, when suddenly Toto, who was lying on her lap, stretched, yawned widely and... fell asleep.
Surprised, Ellie looked around. What she saw amazed her. Fred Canning slept in the most uncomfortable position among the stones. Lestar and his assistants, overcome by an irresistible drowsiness, sank to the floor of the cave, whoever stood where.
In an instant, Ellie realized: “Danger! The wonderful water lulls you to sleep with its vapors!”
She ran up to the stupidly grinning blockheads, who were silently gawking at what was happening, and ordered:
- Hurry! Hurry! Take people and get them out of here!
All those sleeping were immediately transferred to the rest room and laid on beds. Ellie, in mortal alarm, sat down next to Fred and sat until she fell asleep, fortunately, an ordinary one.
The sleepers slept for a whole day and woke up as innocent babies. Ellie was confused:
– What should we do with them?
Then the girl sent the wooden foreman Arum to the Cave for Din Gior and Faramant, ordering him to call them in confidence and not to tell anyone anything.
And she herself took care of Fred: she spoon-fed him porridge and began to teach him to talk. The fumes from the magic water must have not had much time to affect Fred's brains, because an hour later he smiled and said “Mom,” and then pulled the diamond off the bedside table and put it in his mouth.
- But, but, you’ll choke! – Ellie shouted and took away the dangerous toy.
A few hours later, Faramant and Dean Gior arrived, alarmed by the unexpected call. Having heard the girl's story about what happened, her friends could not understand why everyone fell asleep, but Ellie did not. Faramant began meticulously asking Ellie what she was doing while the others were working. And when it finally became clear that the girl was playing with the diamond, the Gate Guardian sighed with relief and said:
- Well, the diamond turned out to be the talisman that saved you.
-What is a talisman? – Ellie asked.
“This is a thing that protects a person from harm,” Faramant explained.
And all three were glad that the girl decided to work on the diamond at that very time. What if she fell asleep with the others? All of them could lie in an enchanted sleep for a very long time before the stupid idiots would think of doing anything.
Faramant and Dean Gior took up raising Lestar and the other Winks, and Ellie spent time with Fred and Totoshka.
The incident was hidden from the seven kings. When Lestar came to his senses, he sent the blockheads to release the wonderful water from the pool through a special tap. And then he went to report to the Scarecrow.
In the dry air of the foundry, the ruler of the Emerald City felt excellent, and brilliant thoughts swarmed through his head. He didn’t even tell anyone about others, because he was the only one who could understand them. During Lestar's report to the Scarecrow, such an idea came into his wise head that he jumped with delight and ordered the master to immediately call the Time Keeper Ruggiero to him.
Having greeted Ruggiero, the Scarecrow asked him:
“Tell me, friend, do you really need seven kings and all this rabble that has gathered around them and that you have to feed?”
Ruggiero, after thinking, replied:
– To be honest, there is no particular need for them. But the people got used to it... And then, each king and his entire retinue slept for six months out of seven.
- And on the seventh they feasted at the expense ordinary people!
“It’s true,” Ruggiero agreed sheepishly.
“So why don’t you put this entire company to sleep?” - asked the Scarecrow.
- All seven kings?! - exclaimed Ruggiero. - This is a great idea! But... but here’s the problem: they will guess that there is an evil intent hidden here, and they will not agree.
– What if you put them to sleep without them suspecting it?
“It’s difficult,” Ruggiero said. – Now Mentaho reigns, he is very smart and insightful.
“We’ll put him to sleep too, and his mind won’t help him.” Lestar, my friend, tell me what happened to you in the cave.
Hearing the story of how people fell asleep from the evaporation of the wonderful water, Ruggiero exclaimed:
– This completely changes things! We will gather this whole horde there, and let them be imperceptibly overcome by a magical sleep. But here’s another difficulty: after all, we, the organizers of this business, will also fall asleep with them. And if we don't show up, it will look suspicious.
“Don’t worry,” Lestar said. – We have talismans for this occasion. – And he told the Time Keeper about the effect of diamonds.
Ruggiero was delighted.
- So, it's decided! We will put all these parasites to sleep, and the country will breathe freely.
- And then? - asked the Scarecrow.
- What - then?
– When will they wake up?
“If they stay near the source, they won’t wake up,” Ruggiero objected.
“But excuse me, my friend,” the Scarecrow said gravely, “this will be a real murder!”
- Sorry, Your Excellency, I didn’t think about that. We'll have to move them to the Rainbow Palace and let them sleep in their storerooms.
- And then? – the Scarecrow insistently asked again.
- What - then? – Ruggiero responded irritably.
- But someday they will wake up!
“We’ll give them water again,” said the Time Keeper hesitantly.
“It’s better to leave them to die in the Sacred Cave,” the Scarecrow exclaimed mockingly. - It will be faster, and you will have less trouble.
“Your Excellency, explain yourself, I don’t understand you,” Ruggiero begged. – Your thoughts are too deep for me, because it’s not for nothing that the inhabitants of the Emerald City called you Thrice Wise!
-Have you heard about this? – The Scarecrow smiled benevolently. - Okay, I'll explain my idea to you. After a magical dream, people wake up like newborn babies, don't they?
- Yes!
– Are they brought up again within a few days and reminded of everything they knew but forgot?
- Yes!
- So who is stopping you from instilling in the same King Mentaho, when he wakes up, that before his enchanted sleep he was not a king, but a blacksmith or a plowman, and teaching him the basics of a new craft?
If lightning had struck at Ruggiero's feet, he would not have been so amazed. A radiant smile appeared on the Time Keeper's face.
– Your Excellency, you are the greatest sage in the world! - he exclaimed.
“Well, everyone has known this for a long time,” the Scarecrow answered modestly.
And Elaina. Aegon's dragon was called Stormcloud.
Aegon was still a child during the internecine war, the Dance of Dragons, waged between his mother Rhaenyra and his uncle King Aegon II. At the end of the war, Aegon II fed Rhaenyra to his dragon, which the future King Aegon III witnessed. Most of the dragons died during the Dance, and the last died during the reign of Aegon III; Some contemporaries and descendants believed that it was Aegon III, who was afraid of dragons, who ordered the last of these creatures to be killed.
Appearance and personal qualities
Aegon always dressed in black and wore a chain of golden three-headed dragons around his neck. He was sad, gloomy and unsmiling. It was said that sadness followed Aegon. His crown was a thin golden hoop.
Marriage and children
King Aegon III was married to Aegon II's daughter Jaehaera, his only child to survive the war, and was succeeded by his uncle. She died at a young age, leaving no offspring. The king's second wife was Deineira Velaryon, with whom Aegon had two sons: Daeron the Young Dragon and Baelor the Blessed, as well as daughters, the Three Maidens in the Tower: Daena, Reyna and Elaine.
Biography
Dance of the Dragons
Aegon as a child. Illustration by Magali Villeneuve, © FFG
Aegon was only nine years old when the civil war began. He commanded the young dragon, Stormcloud, although the prince had yet to ride him.
At the end of 129 AC. the young princes set sail aboard the cogg "Merry Insouciance" to Essos. Corlys Velaryon allocated seven of his warships to accompany the kogg. At sea, the black ships were attacked by the fleet of the Three Daughters. Aegon managed to escape by flying away on his dragon. The first flight in life was a big shock for little boy: A white-faced Aegon shook like a leaf as he landed on Dragonstone, reeking of piss. His dragon was seriously wounded by arrows and bolts and died soon after.
Rhaenyra's execution did not end the war, and new black armies marched, fighting for her son, even when Aegon II returned to King's Landing.
Regency under Aegon III
© Illustration Enife
Aegon II died in 131. The river lords marching on the capital and the remnants of the former king's troops recognized the eleven-year-old boy as their king. Then Aegon III, along with many loyal lords, invited Creegan Stark to the capital, who temporarily took power in King's Landing to carry out a fair trial on the greens. Many dark rumors circulated about Lord Cregan - some believed that he wanted to marry the young king to his daughter (whom he did not yet have), while others even thought that he wanted to kill the king and claim the right to the Throne , marrying Princess Jaehaera. As a result, the intimidated Aegon was forced to proclaim Stark his Hand, after which Lord Cregan began the trial of the murderers of Aegon II. The only person to escape punishment was Corlys Velaryon, the rest were executed or exiled to the Night's Watch. The next day, Lord Stark resigned as Hand.
Soon to secure peace after civil war the king married Jaeheira. The ceremony took place near the Dragonpit, after which Aegon went to the Red Keep, where he was crowned as the new king of the Seven Kingdoms.
The first thing the new king did was fill the empty seats in the Royal Guard. He then appointed Tyland Lannister as his Hand, and also assembled a council of regents who were supposed to assist him in his rule. Despite this, he spent quite a bit of time on the Iron Throne, which caused unrest among the people.
In 132, the Sea Serpent died, and the regents began to think about an heir for Aegon. The king himself named Gaemon the Fairhair, the self-proclaimed bastard of Aegon II, but the regents ignored his decision. Princesses Bale and Reina, despite their gender, offered their candidacies as heirs.
In 133, during the Winter Fever, the king personally visited the sick and even held some by the hand. Among those with whom he sat next was his Hand, Lord Thailand, who soon died.
After Lannister's death, Aegon called Robert Darklyn and Robin Massey into the Kingsguard. He asked the former Grand Maester Orville to write a letter to Thaddeus Rowan offering the post of Hand, Aline Velaryon offering the post of Master of Ships, and Cousin Baela to come to the king's court. However, the regents overturned his decisions. One of these regents, Unwyn Peake, proclaimed himself Hand.
Aegon and Unwyn Peake
Soon, to the displeasure of the king, Lord Peak demoted Darklin and Massey and forced them to leave the Royal Guard. After this, the new Hand appointed his friends and relatives to vacant positions - for example, Lord Peak's sworn knight Gareth Long became master-at-arms. Ser Long began to train the boy, but he soon stopped listening to instructions, refusing to cooperate or simply walking away. Since Ser Gareth could not do any harm to the king, he asked Unwin to make Gaemon a whipping boy. Gaemon's tears and blood became motivation for Aegon, and he soon began to perform better in battle.
Suddenly the king became a widower - Queen Jaeheira threw herself out of the window. Rumors of her murder soon spread throughout the capital. Immediately Lord Peak invited the king to marry again, his daughter Miriel. However, many lords did not approve of such a match for Aegon - Lord Stark openly said that the northerners would look at such a marriage with disrespect, Lord Kermit Tully called this proposal of the Hand impudent, and Maester Mankan turned his back on his friend Unwin. The noble ladies, upon learning of the queen's death, immediately began writing letters to Aegon, expressing their desire to marry him. Lord Peake, under pressure from the outside, was forced to organize a dance evening at which the king would choose a mate.
The week before the ball, Pika's father and daughter spent with the king. At the ball itself, all the candidates were shown to Aegon, who sat on the Iron Throne. His interest, however, with every new girl only fell - according to Mushroom, this was Lord Peak’s insidious plan.
At the very end of the ball, Beyla and Reyna suddenly appeared, presenting their option for the king - Daineira Velaryon, a six-year-old girl. In the end, after several more candidates, Gaemon the Blonde, on behalf of the king, proclaimed that Aegon would marry Deineira. Despite the protests of Lord Peake, who argued that the king should choose an older maiden, Aegon and Daenera were married on the last day of 133.
Lissenian spring
In 134, when Lord Peak lost power and the post of Hand, Oak Fist suddenly returned from his journey. He brought with him the king's younger brother, Prince Viserys, who had previously been in Lys and was considered dead in Westeros. King Aegon was incredibly happy about this, after which Viserys became his closest friend, replacing Gaemon and Deineira.
Prince Viserys brought with him his wife Larra Rogare and several of her brothers. That same year, Larra gave birth to a son, Viserys, after which the inheritance was finally no longer in jeopardy. Viserys brought his dragon egg with him, but the king, hearing about that ugly worm born to Leina Velaryon, ordered all the eggs to be removed from the Red Keep, which angered Viserys. The brothers did not speak to each other for a month, and only the death of Gaimon forced them to make peace.
End of the regency
Aegon restored Lord Rowan to the title of Hand, but torture broke him and he ceased to be a good adviser. Soon the king was forced to remove him. The place of the right hand was temporarily taken by Mankan. In 136, the lords great and small chose by lot new advice regents, and Torrhen Manderly was appointed Hand.
On his sixteenth birthday, the king arrived at a meeting of the Small Council, where he dissolved the regents and sent Lord Manderly, who had served him faithfully, into retirement, which led to a conflict between the king and the lord.
The reign of Aegon III saw a long winter, which began in 130 and lasted 6 years (130-135), and an epidemic of Winter Fever occurred in 132-133.
Independent rule .
Aegon III reigned for 26 years (131-157 AC). He died at the age of 36 from consumption. The father was succeeded by his eldest fourteen-year-old son